Sunday, May 23, 2010

Camping at Big Bear

The journey begins. We filled our "new to us" xterra with our survival gear and made our way up the mountain.
We opted for the roomy 4-man tent my dad gave to us. We slept in car camping style- air mattress, three quilts, a double sleeping bag and real bed sheets. We were roughin' it!We all know by now what a wonderful cook Katie is. And when she teams up with Jody and Rae great things happen. Dinner friday night- tri tip and meatball skewers with peppers, onions, pineapple and mushrooms over a bed of some kind of awesome rice.

Meal time is a group event.
Below, Brian makes sure the morning coffee is up to par while Jeff cuts the onions, Rae manages the eggs and Katie makes sure everyone is doing what they should. Haha
Our hammock square was not only a great resting spot but also gave us an idea as to which way the wind was blowing. It blew the whole weekend!
Breakfast Saturday- Egg, sausage, bacon burritos with guacamole, shredded cheese, green peppers, onions, and fresh pico de gallo.
After breakfast we hiked 3+ miles up to a summit for a nice view and lunch.

I was amused when I saw this rock formation. We called it "Butt Crack" Rock.
At the summit. A clear day!
We stopped for lunch on our way back down the mountain. A downed tree and minimal wind made for a good spot.

With no one to take the photo we ended up with this crooked pic. That's ok. I kinda like it.
Our last gourmet meal consisted of chicken sausages covered in Katie's homemade chili, topped with shredded cheddar/pepperjack cheese all held together by a whole wheat hogie bun.
I never thought I would be in southern california at the end of May standing in snow. This is what we woke up to Sunday morning. Our gear was tossed quickly and carelessly into our trucks with numb hands. It was the perfect excuse for a Starbucks hot spiced apple cider before heading to breakfast two hours earlier than planned.

We ate at Old Mountain Inn. We approached our table and I made eye contact with some of the victims that had to sit next to us. They were about to experience a loud group.
Breakfast was great but the extra time we spent chatting meant extra snow on the roads. Our waitress warned that we should leave soon cause they could close the mountain.(I'm sure she wanted us to go.) I had already forgot my homework on the trip so I was the first one out of my chair.
Kate and I saw the humor in the sign that flashed: "Warning! Chains Required." As if the two inches of snow that did fall was going to do a lot of damage. We blew by the sign and smiled when we saw people pulled to the side of the road staring at their chains without a clue where to start. As you can see the roads were clear.

1 comment:

Nancy and Danny said...

Wow! I miss that kind of camping! Katie's gourmet meals were the most colorful part of the blog, except for the bright smiles! well done, Lyon's; carry on the camping traditions forever! Someday, we will be joining you! It's an art in planning and being flexible, that's for sure. Love you both!